Composition

The Composition degree program will prepare its graduate for a career as a professional composer. What does it offer?

The Composition study program is taught at the Composition, Conducting, and Opera Directing DepartmentThis multidisciplinary department teaches future composers not only the “craft” itself but also the close cooperation with multimedia creators, conductors, choral directors, opera directors, and audio engineers. Students learn not only to compose but also to think about music-making in a modern way. 

What does JAMU provide for the students of Composition?

  • A university full of top performers
  • Two state-of-the-art studios for electroacoustic music production
  • Fully equipped theatre
  • Chamber Hall 
  • Interactive technology
  • Multi-channel audio systems  
  • Plenty of professional software and hardware
  • Professional recording studio
  • Modular synthesizer in classroom 113
  • For fieldwork, JAMU offers a well-equipped rental room with microphones, field recorders, video cameras, scanners and other tools


What is the emphasis of teaching in this program? 

Practical verification of the acquired knowledge – these include the creation and public presentation of compositions for different instrumental ensembles, including electroacoustic music, collaboration on the preparation of films and theatre performances, the creation of multimedia projects and the participation of students in various interdisciplinary projects, etc. 

Where will the graduates of Composition at the Faculty of Music JAMU find employment?

  • as composers of classical music, electroacoustic music or incidental and film music;
  • as music directors for music recording in radio, television, etc.;
  • as music dramaturges of theatres of all types and cultural institutions, art ensembles, art agencies, festivals, etc.;
  • as a teacher at all levels of music education (primary art school, conservatory, university) and in various subjects (composition, composition theory, music theory, music history, etc.).

What to prepare for the entrance examination? 

The applicant must be prepared to submit scores of several different compositions for different chamber instrumental, vocal and mixed ensembles, and in the case of electroacoustic music, recordings of several different compositions created using different sound production methods. They will have to demonstrate their knowledge of music-theoretical disciplines and instrumentation at the level of a secondary school graduate in composition in the case of the Composition specialization, including the ability to create short studies without preparation concerning the contemporary organization of pitches, rhythm, etc.; in the case of the Composition of Scenic and Film Music specialization, they must also demonstrate knowledge of harmony and counterpoint. 

The applicant is expected to have knowledge of various ways of creating electronic sound, working with DAWs, using various programs for creating music or making open source software or hardware musical instruments.

In the case of the Composition and Composition of Scenic and Film Music specializations, the ability to play the piano at the level of a graduate of a primary art school is expected; in the case of an applicant for the Composition of Electroacoustic Music specialization, the ability to play an electroacoustic instrument at least at a basic level is expected.

The entrance examination includes a general knowledge test.

 

Field of study specification
Code KOMPOZ
Type Non-follow-up Master’s study programme
Degree MgA.
Length of studies 5 Years
Field of study guaranteed by Faculty Of Music
Accreditation
M0215A310004 KompM:M5 Composition
Accredited until 07. 03. 2025